Confession
by Winter Blake
Summary: Bruce finds out about something that happened to Tim while he was "dead". Needless to say Bruce is not happy, and he does his best to show that he will always be there for Tim.


**Pre New 52 **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing **

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**Confession**

It had been an extremely long night out on patrol and all Bruce Wayne wanted to do was take a shower and go to sleep. He could tell Damian was exhausted, even if he was trying to hide it, but he knew better then to let the child know he was aware.

He had been about to tell Damien that patrol was over and they could head back to the cave when a figure in red and wearing a black cowl jumped onto the rooftop. It was Red Robin, or Tim Drake, Batman's son who he had not seen in quite some time. He wasn't sure why but Tim had seemingly been avoiding him for weeks, not even coming back to the manor once even for dinner or to check the computer in The Cave.

"What are you doing here?" Damian scowled looking at Tim with an expression of loathing.

Tim was silent for a moment but then said, "sorry I didn't notice you two were here."

Bruce knew something is wrong instantly with Tim's words. Firstly Tim should have more alert and have noticed him and Damian, and secondly Tim should not have felt the need to apologize. He looked Tim up and down and noticed that the side of his costume is cut and he was bleeding. The cut did not look to deep, but Bruce's fatherly instincts had kicked in and in that moment all he wanted to do was take Tim back home, patch him up, and make sure his boy was all right.

Tim was taking out his grapple and about to leave but Bruce stops him.

"I was just about to end patrol and head back to the cave. Why don't you come with us?" he offers.

"I… I have stuff I have to do back at my apartment."

Tim's words hurt Bruce more then they should have. It wasn't that his offer was rejected that really hut, but that Tim already has his own apartment. Tim should have still been living in the manner with Bruce. He should have been where Bruce could look after him and make sure he was safe and patch him up when he got hurt on patrol.

"Run along now Red Robin," Damian said with a vindictive smirk on his face. "We don't want you here."

"Be quite Robin," Bruce scolded and then turned his attention to the fleeting Red Robin. "I insist you come back with us. You can do your work in the cave. The computer is much more well equipped then yours I'm sure."

Tim looked hesitant before he reluctantly nodded and Bruce wasted no time getting to the batmobile with his two sons. The ride back had been silent, and when they got back to the cave Bruce and Damian got out of their costumes and Bruce wasted not time in sending the ten year old off to bed.

"You don't have to walk around in your suit you know. Alfred brought down some clothes."

Tim shrugged and did not make a move to start stripping out of his costume. He hadn't even removed his cowl.

"You need to take off your suit so I can see if your injury requires stitches."

"It's fine," Tim grunted.

"I won't take no for an answer."

With a sigh Tim started to reluctantly get out of his suit and the second he was Bruce was forcing him to sit down and examining his stomach wound. The cut was not very deep or long but would need a few stitches.

"Let me just go get something to numb your wound before I stitch it up."

"It's fine. I only need a couple of stitches, no need to numb it."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

So Bruce started to carefully stitch Tim's side. He noted that Tim did not flinch or make a sound- he showed no signs of discomfort. Bruce wanted to be proud of his son for being so strong, but he also knew that Tim was not masking anything. He genuinely did not think the pain great, and Bruce wanted to know what had happened to Tim that made him like that.

His torso was littered with scars that had not been there before Bruce's 'death', and one looked particularly nasty. It was jagged and raised, and looked as if it had once been a very deep cut that had not received proper medical attention.

"What happened there?" Bruce inquired, looking towards that scar in question when he had finished up the stitches.

"It was nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

"It was Widower."

"The scar looks like your worst one."

Tim let out a shaky laugh that made Bruce know instantly that something very bad had happened.

"He uh… he removed my spleen."

It took Bruce a second to process Tim's words. "He removed your _spleen_?" Bruce repeated, as if he did not understand the words.

"It's not a big deal. I've been taking medication and stuff so that I don't get sick, cause I know losing a spleen can leave you prone to illnesses but the medication is helping. I get colds and fevers more frequently but it's no big deal."

Bruce was at a loss for words. He had known what Tim had done when he was gone, but he never expected this, and it made Bruce wonder what else Tim had gone through in his absence.

"I have work that I need to do," Tim said quietly as he got up and started putting on the sweat pants and shirt Alfred had left out for him.

"You should go to sleep Tim," said Bruce. Tim looked tired and worn, and it worried Bruce.

"I will," Tim assured Bruce, but it was clearly a lie and they both knew it.

So Bruce knew he would have to do something out of his comfort zone to help his boy out. Carefully he walked up to Tim who had been heading for the computer when he put a hand on the boy's shoulder and Tim turned around surprised and confused by the touch.

"Whatever happened to you when I was gone it's over now. I'm right here if you need me."

It appeared as if Tim was struggling with something internally, and Bruce saw tears well up in Tim's eyes that were blinking rapidly to try and stop them from falling. But Tim did not need to hold back and be strong, not at that moment. Bruce knew that at that moment what Tim needed most of all was to let everything out and have a shoulder to cry on.

"Come here," Bruce murmured, and he drew a startled Tim closer to him and held him close.

Tim was stiff in Bruce's arms for sometime but Bruce did not let go and finally Tim's wall seemed to crumple and he was crying in Bruce's arms. He was letting out tears and sobs that he should have long before but couldn't. And Bruce did nothing to quell the tears because Tim needed that. Instead Bruce just (hopefully) comforted him with his presence. Bruce was miles away from his comfort zone but in that moment he did not care. All he wanted was to help Tim, help his son.

He let Tim cling to him tightly as he continued to cry. He was still sobbing but they were not as intense as they had been.

"You're such a crybaby," a familiar voice said startling Bruce. He had been so consumed in taking care of his son that I had not been paying attention too much else.

"Damian," he snapped angrily at his youngest son. It was to late though because Damian had done his damage and Tim had let go of Bruce quickly and was wiping at his eyes furiously.

"What?" Damian asked glaring at Tim. "He is a crybaby. Look at him, he's pathetic."

"Go to your room Damian."

"B-"

"_Now_."

Grumbling Damian made his way upstairs and Tim was looking down at his feet with a heartbreaking expression on his face.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about Tim. He doesn't understand."

"No, no. He was right. I shouldn't have done that. I… I'm sorry for being such a nuisance."

"No, Tim you-"

"It's okay. I better go."

Before Bruce could insist upon him staying he had disappeared into the night.

**Author's Note: At the moment this is a one shot, but I may continue this story if you guys like it. I'm not really sure. Anyway please R&R **


End file.
